Piccolo practice

dershem · Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:43 pm Post subject: Piccolo practice

My chops are finally starting to come back enough to get the picc out and put in some face time on it, but alas, my apartment is tiny enough that ALL practice must be muted.
What picc practice mutes would you recommend, and why?
Thanks!
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Andy Del · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 10:12 am Post subject:

None. The only useful time for one of these might be in a performance with a long long break before playing. Think of the messiah and the 25 minute wait to start playing.

Find a place to practice without a mute. The detrimental effects of that mute far outweigh the benefits!
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Don Herman rev2 · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:08 pm Post subject:

Like Andy said, it's hard enough as it is. Try playing into a closet full of clothes, or even piled up on a chair or something, directed away from neighboring walls, and not too early or too late.
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JoseLindE4 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 791

Places that I've practiced while living in a small apartment:

1. A park
2. Your car
3. A church that you're friendly with
4. College practice room
5. In my apartment -- make nice with the neighbors and figure something out

Divitt Trumpets · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:29 pm Post subject:

I'm at the end of developing a piccolo practice mute similar to my very popular trumpet practice mute.
If you'd like to participate in testing it, send me a message either here or via my website/social media.
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nltrumpet · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 6:26 pm Post subject:

It’s not quite a practice mute, but trumcor makes an excellent piccolo cup mute. It’s one of my favorites… too bad I almost never get to use it. Haven’t tried their picc practice mute…

HaveTrumpetWillTravel · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:04 am Post subject:

I've used the shhmute. It's pretty good. I live in an apartment and try to do some of the boring work on mute or mouthpiece and then play open lyrically. The shhmute will also work with the CB mini pocket trumpet (Trent Austin has a video of it up somewhere).

Don Herman rev2 · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 5:30 am Post subject:

Practicing with a mute only really works if you perform with the same mute.
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley

HaveTrumpetWillTravel · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 5:48 am Post subject:

OP asked for a practice mute recommendation, not for reasons not to use a practice mute.

Do any of you live in tiny apartments with thin walls in big cities? There's no car, no campus practice room, no (free) church sanctuary, etc. Where I am it's totally unacceptable to play a loud instrument in a park (the local parks are surrounded by high rises). Maybe these options are readily available in Columbus or Dallas, but Tokyo, London, (San Diego) etc. are different stories.

OP, I would just buy several mutes and work your way through them. Practice mutes have improved *a lot* in the last twenty years. It looks like Trumcor does make a stealth mute and best brass has a practice mute too. I would take Divitt up on the offer. It would be great to hear from someone who has played on them. For me the Bremner/Shhhmmute one is very doable. You have to be careful not to over blow, but that's already true on piccolo.

Brassnose · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 6:26 am Post subject:

I use the sshh mutes for bass trumpet, flugel, and trumpet and would not hesitate to use a sshh picc mute.
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TheHighNotes · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2022 7:55 pm Post subject:

patdublc · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 4:04 am Post subject:

Due to travel, I'm often forced to practice with a practice mute. Sometimes when I have upcoming picc gigs, I have to practice picc with a practice mute. I don't like it, but you can make it work. I would not want to do that on a regular basis.
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Jerry · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 5:55 pm Post subject:

Open the closet with the winter coats and aim your bell into that.

I never got any noise complaints when I practiced that way; I immediately got noise complaints when I played into any room when I lived in an apartment.

dershem · Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2022 6:44 am Post subject:

dstpt · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 1287

This news just in from a Facebook posting...

https://www.realmute.com/?fbclid=IwAR3nqib9KASEJGmhYBYcaGEhkRR3mkn0V40V-FM9wCHPnmx_Nj2dKZxiVRQ

The Sound Barrier...for only $119 USD.

cbtj51 · Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2022 8:42 am Post subject: